Crimp connectors may be attached to the ends of electric conductors. It is important to be able to measure the quality of the crimp connection so as to ensure the electrical conductivity and mechanical strength of the connection as well as a sufficiently uniform quality, among other things.
The quality of a connection is measured manually by using a mechanical measuring tool. The measuring can be performed with a slide gauge or micrometer screw, for instance. In such a case, the outer dimensions of the connector are measured to find out, whether the connector has been crimped too much, sufficiently, or too little. It is also possible to determine, whether the connector is of a correct shape.
The quality of a connection can also be measured in a destructive manner. Destructive measurements include cross-section measurement and tensile measurement. In cross-section measurement, the connector is physically cut in half in the transverse direction, the dimensions, shape and conductor locations, etc., are measured from the cross-section or its image. In tensile measurement, the conductor is pulled off the connection and the force required to separate it is measured. This shows, whether the connection was mechanically all right.
Mechanical measurement is slow and imprecise, and the measurer affects the result. Destructive measurements literally break the connection and the measured connection is no longer usable. When using destructive measurement, specifically the unmeasured connections will be used in the final product, which means that their quality cannot be ensured by measurement. Therefore, there is a need to further develop the measuring of crimp connections of conductors.